Army Ornithological SocietyCyprus Weekly
Birding Highlights for the Week Ending 12 Oct 14
European Nightjar in day roost at Akhna Dam on 8 & 9 Oct
A late finish at work meant that I could only get to Akhna Dam. It was very quiet with only a Greenshank and Snipe being present on the water’s edge with 3 Little Ringed Plovers on the grass adjacent. A Chiffchaff was amongst the Willow Warblers and 3 Common Redstarts, 2 cracking males. As I drove around 2 immature Red-backed Shrikes, Masked Shrikes and a pair of Spotted Flycatchers were obvious. On driving over the dam wall on the way home a male Red-footed Falcon flew over me which was the highlight of the day. As I drove through Vrysoulles, the local village at least 9 European Beeaters were on the telegraph wires. With passage coming to an end their numbers are steadily decreasing as the month moves on.
On Tuesday I managed to visit both wetlands with the highlights in Famagusta being a pair of Spoonbills, a Spotted Redshank and a lone Temminck’s Stint. I eventually found a Curlew Sandpiper with 6 Dunlins and a solitary immature Black-winged Stilt appeared from behind the vegetation. 3 Wood Sandpipers were joined by a Green Sandpiper and in the eucalyptus trees, at least 3 Spotted Flycatchers were calling and very active. A female Marsh Harrier was present and Greater Flamingos numbered 18. On the station football pitch, 52 White Wagtails were joined by a single Red-throated Pipit, sporting residual breeding plumage. A male Red-footed Falcon and 8 European Beeaters flew over the house prior to departing for Akhna Dam. As I arrived at Akhna, 2 immature Red-backed Shrikes and a Northern Wheatear sat on the wires and a male Common Redstart flitted away amongst the tamarisks. The first Stonechat of the winter was present as I noted it was a female. The dam itself was very quiet with 5 Ruffs, a Glossy Ibis and a Greenshank being the only birds of any note.
On Wednesday I visited Akhna Dam briefly, where a Curlew Sandpiper and a Greenshank were the highlights on the mud. As I drove around I flushed a Quail and seeing where it landed I attempted a photograph. As I moved closer, typically it flushed, as I followed it my eyes were drawn to a shape on a branch. A European Nightjar* in a day roost – an amazing stroke of luck! I positioned for a photograph and got some very close shots, never a bird I thought I’d get to photograph in Cyprus. As I drove on further, several male Common Redstarts moved in the tamarisks with Willow Warblers and a single immature Masked Shrike. A dark shape caught my eye and I was caught out briefly. I first thought it was Drongo or Black Flycatcher type, anyway another closer inspection and some photos revealed a melanistic juvenile Red-backed Shrike* - very unusual indeed, I’ve never seen one before in the 2000 or so previous Red-backs! Several Whinchats and a female Stonechat were also in the area along with my first Fan-tailed Warblers of the month and my first male Spanish Sparrow for some months. As I passed Avgorou on the way home 4 Jackdaws mobbed an adult Long-legged Buzzard.
In the afternoon some shopping in the north allowed me to visit the Fresh Water Lake in Famagusta. 17 Greater Flamingos continued their stay with the usual Herons, but 11 Night Herons (8 adults / 2 1CY and 1 2CY), was a good count. A single Curlew Sandpiper was amongst the Dunlins and 2 Spotted Redshanks remain at the site. Kingfishers were vocal with 2 being seen and I picked out a female Garganey amongst the many Teal. The drake Wigeon was typically elusive but seen briefly and once more all was flushed by a female Marsh Harrier. An immature Masked Shrike rested on a reed and at the base a Sedge Warbler caught insects. As I scanned the base of the vegetations, I firstly found an immature Little Crake closely followed by its larger cousin an immature Spotted Crake. With the light failing 7 Ruffs arrived and 10 Wood Sandpipers gathered for the roost.
Following a bit of a hectic day at work I only managed to get to Akhna Dam for an hour or so. A Long-legged Buzzard soared above me as I arrived. The Greenshank and Redshank were still present and were joined by a lone Glossy Ibis with the signs that it’s been shot with a damaged leg. A female Redstart called and darted through the undergrowth and the melanistic Red-backed Shrike was still knocking around with several typical juveniles and 2 Masked Shrikes. Remarkably the Nightjar was on the same perch, more in the open and allowed for some better full frame shots. As I left the site 19 European Beeaters and 2 Stonechats (a pair), were sat on wires above me and the Little Owl had returned to its favoured roost.
I had arranged to meet Terry Clark a UK birder from Cheltenham briefly on Fri prior to Octoberfest in the Mess and an all day Saturday visit to a few sites. At Akhna Dam, 5 Redstarts and 5 immature Red-backed Shrike were present. Furthermore, a couple of Whinchats remained and 2 immature Masked Shirkes. Perhaps the highlight was close views of an Osprey and a male Marsh Harrier. Waders were in short supply with only a Snipe, Greenshank and 4 Little Ringed Plovers being present and a Kingfisher put in a solid performance. A female Blackcap was a surprise before I headed home to go to the Mess Octoberfest as “Gertrude the buxom serving wench” – Photo on FaceBook for those of you who can access it.
I met Terry at 0900 at the Akhha Dam car park and he drove to the Larnaca area – not wise for me to drive, as I was still feeling the effects of “Gertrude” – enough said! Anyway we arrived at the Larnaca Airport Fields and found an Isabelline Wheatear and several Red-throated Pipits calling overhead. A male Marsh Harrier quartered the fields and a couple of Spectacled Warblers performed well for the camera. The first Skylarks of the winter was seen, but by far the biggest highlight was a rather late Lesser Grey Shrike, which obligingly sat still for Terry’s shutter. Spiro’s beach had 15 Kentish Plovers and a Dunlin running around on it and as we approached the sewage works a female Black Francolin flushed and a Yellow-legged Gull was sat on the lagoon edge. 77 Flamingos were on the sewage works lagoons and the over summering Shelduck had been joined by another. A juvenile Whiskered Tern was a bonus and 3 Black-headed Gulls were the first for the site this winter. We proceeded to Pervolia where after a short walk down a strip between the crops, hundreds of Yellow Wagtails and Red-throated Pipits flushed. A few Greater Short-toed Larks called and landed in the crops and were then undetectable and another Skylark called as it alighted. Calandra Larks are beginning to flock with 19 being present in a calling flock. As we made our way to the border and passed Dhekelia Fire Station, 5 Stone Curlews were seen from the road.
After a brief stop at the house for a cuppa, we made our way over the north via a windscreen tour of the Famagusta Walled City. We arrived at the Fresh Water Lake South at about 1600 and left at about 1800. During the visit 2 Great White Egrets and a 1st calendar year Night Heron were seen along with 5 Kingfishers and a good selection of waders. Spotted Redshanks numbered 2 with several Redshanks, Wood Sandpipers, a single Green Sandpipers, some Ruffs and 4 Black-winged Stilts. Careful scanning of the reeds produced a Spotted and Little Crake and Greater Flamingos were steady at 19. Of the wildfowl 2 Pintails were present and the biggest surprise was the first Gadwall of the winter – a male. A Temminck’s Stint was found with the Little Stints and Spur-winged Plovers were numerous.
On the 12th I visited Akhna Dam in the afternoon where the melanistic Red-backed Shrike* continued its stay and 2 Ospreys were present. The Greenshank and a single Ruff were unremarkable; however, 2 Curlew Sandpipers were noteworthy. An immature Masked Shrike was getting late in the season but there wasn’t much else of interest. I drove around the back of camp where 2 European Beeaters and a Spotted Flycatcher were sat on wires. A Long-legged Buzzard sat on a nearby cliff edge and Stonechats and a single Red-backed Shrike with a Spectcled Warbler and 2 nearby Willow Warblers concluded an interesting couple of days.
Highlights of the Week: Not surprisingly, as ever, anywhere in the world, finding and photographing any day roosting Nightjar is always a great moment.
Other Interesting Sightings: A Plain Tiger butterfly at Larnaca Sewage Works on 11th and a Striped Necked or Balkan Terrapin* was at Akhna Dam on 10th.
If you are planning a visit or require more info please feel free to contact me at: birder639@yahoo.com
Mark Easterbrook
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